Fourmaux Takes Rally Chile Lead Amidst Tänak's Retirement
Adrien Fourmaux has seized the top position in Rally Chile following an eventful Friday, which saw title contender Ott Tänak exit the race due to a mechanical failure. Fourmaux now holds a slender lead over his Hyundai counterpart, Thierry Neuville, who mounted a strong recovery in the afternoon stages. Meanwhile, Toyota's Sébastien Ogier climbed to third, and championship leader Elfyn Evans experienced a drop in standings to fifth.
Fourmaux Ascends as Tänak Retires
Adrien Fourmaux inherited the lead in Rally Chile, ending Friday's action with a one-second advantage over teammate Thierry Neuville, as title hopeful Ott Tänak was forced to retire from the event. Fourmaux expressed satisfaction with leading the rally at the close of the first day, despite the unfortunate circumstances for his teammate. The day witnessed a significant shift in conditions, moving from damp morning stages that favored early runners to drier afternoon tracks, which impacted those at the front due to loose gravel. This change allowed competitors further down the road order to gain time.
The rally's dynamics were dramatically altered in Stage 6 when Ott Tänak's strong performance, which had seen him build a comfortable lead, abruptly ended due to a suspected engine issue in his Hyundai i20 N. This mechanical failure, occurring just 5.6 kilometers into the 23.32km San Rosendo 2 stage, forced Tänak to halt, effectively handing the lead to Fourmaux. Hyundai's technical director, Francois-Xavier Demaison, confirmed the engine problem, noting a lack of immediate data but expressing hope for Tänak's return to competition to salvage points. This incident not only propelled Fourmaux into the lead but also reshaped the overall standings, setting the stage for an intense battle among the remaining top contenders.
Afternoon Resurgence and Shifting Fortunes
Thierry Neuville, after grappling with handling and transmission issues during the morning loop, described his car as a \"nightmare.\" However, a significant transformation occurred during the midday service, where adjustments to the transmission and dampers vastly improved his performance. This mid-day turnaround enabled Neuville to stage an impressive recovery, closing the gap to the leaders and ending the day just one second behind Fourmaux, despite initially trailing by 14.5 seconds. His renewed pace highlights the critical role of vehicle setup and team adjustments in rallying.
Sébastien Ogier, who conceded he had made incorrect setup choices for the morning, rebounded strongly in the afternoon, demonstrating his veteran skill by winning Stage 6 and finishing Friday only 2.3 seconds off the lead. Conversely, championship leader Elfyn Evans found the afternoon a \"big struggle,\" dropping from the lead to fifth overall. Meanwhile, Sami Pajari, another Toyota driver, recorded a fastest time in Stage 4, maintaining fourth position. Takamoto Katsuta also improved his standing, securing sixth place. In WRC2, Oliver Solberg's title aspirations received a boost from the retirements of rivals Yohan Rossel and Gus Greensmith, despite an early spin and puncture affecting Josh McEelean, who rounded out the top ten. Nikolay Gryazin remains in contention for the WRC2 title, trailing Solberg by 10.4 seconds, setting the stage for a thrilling continuation of the rally.